Archive for June, 2010

I am a movie buff & there is no confessing about it. If you are an Indian who does not see any Bollywood movie or dance to any of its melodious tunes…………….please don’t call yourself a ‘Saccha Hindustani’…………….Bollywood is in our blood. These days it is in our dressing too…………ever notice your next door neighbour auntyji dressed in a Madhuri Dixit’s ‘Hum Aapke hai kaun’ trademark blue saree or your best friend trying to be like the gorgeous Deepika Padukone in those shorts & spaghetti tops which she wore in ‘Housefull’ or a guy walking in a denim with T-shirt reminding you of Ranbir Kapoor’s recent flick or the sexy siren dancing in a party dressed to kill as Kareena Kapoor in ‘Kambakt Ishq’…………………we all have seen these people somewhere right!!!

Let me take you through the fashion down the decades in bollywood and how it has changed the face of what you, me or anyone as a matter of fact wears in our everyday life.

1950s

I think the obsession started with seeing the yester year actresses like Madhubala, Nutan, Meena Kumari, Nargis Dutt, Waheeda Rehman all dressed in sarees with blouses which were printed or plain had puffed short sleeves. The Western wear of the 1950s was long middy dresses since it was considered inappropriate for a woman to be dressed in revealing clothes. How can I ever forget the beautiful vintage jewellery like jhumkas, hooplas, matha tikka, chokker, bangles….. ahhhh……. jewellery……………… beautiful jewellery. The keyword for this decade was ‘Simplicity’……….be it the designs of the clothes or the make-up it was all kept minimal.

Legendary Actors like Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar wore traditional clothes like dhoti kurta, kurta pyjama and when it came to formal western wear they opted for suits with tie. Hair for men were short accesorized usually with hats and women usually wore their long hair in a bun, plaits or simply left them open. There was no space for a tom-boy in that era since women were considered to act more feminine and men had to be thorough gentlemen. Movies like Awaara, Naya Daur, Chalti ka naam gaadi, Daag have set the trends for the people of India. But the fashion of the 1950s is classic and evergreen just like the movies.

1960s

Enter the Era of Anarkali suits, chudidhar with fitted kurtis & Mumtaz Saree [as seen above] were what one who has lived that era can recall……unfortunately I was born 2 decades late but would have loved to live the 1960s era when fashion had made a grand entry into Bollywood. People were discovering new styles in both Indian & western couture, experimenting with their looks.

What I can remember after seeing the movie is the high hair updos, ‘Sadhna’ cut which was a name given to fringe haircut, elongated eye-liner, big earrings, tight fitted clothes and the famous ‘twist’ dance. Asha Parekh, Mumtaz, Meena Kumari, Sharmila Tagore, Helen, Saira Bano were the top actresses in this time era influencing the fashion. The clothes were bolder than the previous decade in this ‘eastman’ colour decade.

Of course how can I ever leave the men behind…………..Icons like Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Dharamendra, Manoj Kumar, Sunil Dutt ruled the bollywood scene and they generally prefered wearing western attire. Even today when I see the movies from this era, I brings so much of joy………………..Mughal-E-Azam, Teesri Manzil, Junglee, Aradhana, Bramhachari, Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam, Jigri Dost, Padosan, Pakeezah [though released in 1972 it was made in the 60s]……………always refreshing to see these movies.

1970s

The ‘Flower Power’ or the ‘Disco Age’ years must have been the era that left quiet an impression on minds of very bollywood fan. The bell bottoms, platform heels, colourful sunglasses, psychedelic prints, butterfly collar shirts, big jewellery, Maxi dresses, tie-dye designs are still fresh in my memory. ‘Big’ was beautiful in the 1970s……………now that can be your hair, the print on the fabric, buttons on the shirt or the hemlines of your pants…………….

The hemlines went up and the necklines plunged a bit…………bold, demure style followed in this era where actresses like Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Hema Malini, Jaya Badhuri Bachchan ruled the time. The ‘bangs’ or the ‘wings’ look was very ‘In’ during the 70s for women…………Men too loved wearing their hair long with prominent side-burns. The leading men in bollywood were seen wearing fitted Blazers which were a bit flared at the hip coupled with broad ties………..I remember my Dad still has a couple of those and still not ready to give them up saying it was huge trend during his college years. Three piece suit also gained prominence during this era where one could see the hero’s of Bollywood wearing this style on & off the silver screen.

1980s

I am a sample piece from this era since I was born in 1980s……………I am not telling you the year though………..but the bell bottoms + platform heel trend was phasing out ……………enter the strappy sandals and denim. Loads of colour was also the focus of the 1980s but people prefered wearing single colour instead of going in for fusion.

Rekha, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Shabana Azmi, Dimple Kapadia, Padmini Kolhapure, Amrita Singh, Poonam Dhillon, Neelam ruled the silver screen in the 1980s. The saree in plain colours was a rage when Mr. India released…………I could see all the friends of my mother buy sarees in plain colour and consider themselves Sridevi……………Bhagyashree made the white Salwar Kameez famous in ‘Kabootar Jaa Jaaa’ song from the movie ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. The hair style meant more volume and people were simply crazy behind Dimple Kapadia’s hair do in ‘Saagar’ that every beauty salon put up a poster of Dimple in order to boost their sales. Hope you all remember the ‘Sagar Choti’ ……………..that is where the name came from. This era also made pants much more of a fashion for common people with denims catching the focus.

Actors like Sunjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Mithun Chakravarthy, Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Naseerudin Shah, Rishi Kapoor made the fitted pants or jean…a routine. Of course not forgetting Jeetendra who made the white pants with white shoes a must have for every guy………………………. The rugged look was ‘In’ for the guys of the 80s. Movies that left a mark not just at the box office but also in fashion were Umrao Jaan, Mr. India, Maine Pyar Kiya, Chaalbaaz, Silsila, Shaan, Sagar……………

1990s

I remember the frenzy that followed the weeks after ‘Hum Aapke hai kaun’ released in India, If I ever went to any wedding I could see a belle dressed as ‘Madhuri Dixit’……………….remember the famous purple saree [Pic above] from the song ‘Didi tera devar deewana’…………….

Colourful Bandhni, shoulder pads, scarves, chunky jewellery, ankle high boots, tight fitted skirts, hair bands, big decorative bindis and matt lipsticks were a rage in 1990s. And of course all the actress like Kajol, Urmila Matondkar, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Manisha Koirala, Raveena Tandon, Juhi Chawla set the trend for it. Menswear had also changed to a lot of extent with waist coats, leather jackets, baggy pants, loud print ties, dungrees, colourful denim making an entry into their wardrobe. Even if a guy is not all muscles he would wear a T-shirt underneath his over-sized shirt to make him look like a hunk……………..yeah I know you have been there too, buddy. Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan have sported that look in many of their movies. Talking about movies, I feel films like Hum Aapke hain Kaun, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil toh Pagal hai, Yes Boss, Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, Rangeela, Raja Hindustani made an impact on the fashion industry as well.

These movies also made way for designers to enter Bollywood in a big way………….famously known was Manish Malhotra for transforming Kajol in DDJL, Kuch Kuch hota hai or giving a make-over to Karisma Kapoor in Raja Hindustani…………Designers made it big and created a new path where the clothes were not required to be rented from the dresswala but to be picked up from a boutique. The 1990s era was a gateway for Fashion designers who were able to showcase their creations not just in movies but also on Ramp and international beauty pagents. Actors & Actresses became more image conscious with respect to what they wore…………..each one wanted the designer to create a unique style for them. In india this was a revolutionary period in terms of fashion for sure……

2000s

Enter the era of ‘Stylist’ since the designers were already here……………the bollywood actors & actresses started making more frequent appearance on the red carpet hence needed someone to style them both on and off the screen as well. The best example of course can be Dhoom 2 where stylist and fashion editor of Vogue India Anaita Shroff Adajania had made all the people look ‘hot’ with her styling tricks. She was also a part of the cast of ‘Kal ho na ho’ which was another style forward movie. But people loved the ‘Dil Chahta hai’ gang that changed the way men looked at themselves in the mirror.

Suddenly ‘Metrosexual Men’ were very much in vogue………..they styled their hair well, wore designer labels only, went in for a regular manicure/pedicure & professional grooming, carried a pair of stylish shades…………..in short men became much, much more fashion conscious which was a woman’s business till the turn of the century. Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal we owe this change to you guys……..

It was ‘More the Merrier’ for women too who had an array of style to choose from…………she could go vintage with the classy ‘Devdas’ look by wearing kundan jewellery with designer saree or look like a million bucks by adorning short dresses which Kareena Kapoor carried off in ‘Kambakkht Ishq’ ………else look feminine in the Anarkali chudidhar which Sonam Kapoor wore in ‘Saawariya’…………..the choice is unlimited.

Kareena Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Bipasha Basu are the front runners from the beginning of the 21st century. New faces like Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut are being looked up as the ‘next best thing’ in Bollywood fashion. The movie list that set a fashion trends would go on forever since today fashion changes as quickly as the movies in the theatre……….hope the next decade is even more fun-filled.

‘Vivacious’ is the very first word that comes across my mind whenever I see Ranna Gill’s collection……………her clothes simply are full of life. A woman wearing a Ranna Gill creation can easily skip make-up…….you won’t need it if your clothes are doing all the talking.

She started out with designing degree from NIFT then went to the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She has trained under eminent designers – Rohit Khosla in India & Donna Karan in New York. She later joined the well-know brand Ralph Lauren after completing her training. She returned to Indian and started her own label ‘Ranna Gill’ in 1996 & a boutique ‘Ameera’ in 2000.

She has participated in many fashion week events held in India & abroad. Her designs reflect a lot of tribal influence, indian embroidery fused with western garments, Moroccan feel, in short the traditional presented with a contemporary twist. I seriously feel that she is the designer solely responsible for making dresses both long & short in vogue in India. She has broken the rule of have dresses in plain boring simple colour by introducing a mixture of bright colours…………………..her outfits always do cheer up my mood whenever I see them.

I would love to see her do more of Indian contemporary designer wear since it would definitely turn a new leaf in Indian wear. Her clothes are very wearable yet fashionable……………..which is very essential & difficult to find in today’s designer wear. The demure creations make me wanna try out the dresses for a date night.

Celebrity clients include Deepika Padukone, Neha Dhupia, Sonali Bendre, Soha Ali Khan, Sabina Singh, Ramona Garware, the list is endless……………..everyone wants a piece of Ranna Gill………….literally. She also dresses up the Miss India – Universe, World & Earth for International Pagents. Visit her official website www.rannagill.com for more updates on her fabulous designs.

Displayed are few of Ranna Gill creations from Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week 2009…………..Enjoy!!

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IIFA Award 2010 main event was held in Colombo the capital city of Sri Lanka where many Bollywood stars walked down the green carpet and posed for the shutterbug.

Kareena Kapoor & Saif Ali Khan

The star couple Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan walked down the green carpet at the IIFA Awards 2010. Kareena was wearing a green and red Manish Malhotra couture saree where as Saif Ali went in for a formal-casual fusion of blazer with denim. I might have never liked the blazer with denim style but Saif makes an exception with this design on self pin-strip black blazer with a pop of colour in form of the red satin he has displayed on the side pocket of his blazer. The v-neck t-shirt with rugged blue denim and brown shoes plus belt are making his look ‘oh-so-fashionable’. I like Kareena Kapoor in Sex and the City style of dresses but somehow this colourful saree is not doing justice to this wonderful actress. The work and design everything is rich………….no doubt but the look is not very alluring. Maybe the green carpet has something to do with it???? I prefer Kareena more in the western avatar in the photo below where she is wearing a where she was dressed a shimmer top over jeans. I dig that look even though it is red carpet inappropriate. Maybe it is just me……………

Lara Dutta

Whoa……….Lara Dutta in the 60s hairdo and a beautiful gown………do I need to say anymore.I think I do since I am not a fan of the 60s updo but must say Lara Dutta is pulling it off well. The gown is ‘magnificent’ with such intrisic work on the each layer of the hemlines and the criss cross fabric pattern on the waist. The accessories are well co-ordinated with huge diamond and pearl earrings with a golden clutch. This is a very red carpet look and I am happy that Lara not only looks like a glamorous super star but also classy. Lara Dutta I am a fan of your outfit…………..can you please lend me it for a day.

Bipasha Basu

This is wrong……………….this is very wrong………………Bipasha has always been my favourite on the red carpet but this does not seem to be the real Miss Basu. This does not seem fashion forward nor it is elegant…………..The bright orange saree is an eye-sore but combining it with a hot fuchsia pink halter neck blouse is a disaster. With the chunky bangles and the big red bindi, Bipasha wanted to give a sexy look to the goan ki gori but could not do justice to the ensemble. Ms. Basu please go back to your original form…………..as much as I adore you I simply hate this look.

Salman Khan

The black suit is is very basic but what’s with the bright blue shirt and the black tie with a ‘Being Human’ message on it. I cannot see the ‘Salman’ style anywhere………….both the collar and the tie are hideous plus the colour blue are not doing any good to this dashing Star. The shiny blue shirt is a fashion crime…….better luck next time Salman.

Kangana Ranaut

The gown is pretty, the detail work on the bustier of the gown is exquisite but the colour has totally disappeared against the back drop of the green carpet. As forKangana, she looks every bit radiant in this outfit. The gown has a very elegant feel to it…………….two thumbs up for the dress but I wish if Kangana would have opted for another colour.

Neha Dhupia

Neha seems to have come ready to chain a man from the IIFA award. She wore a black saree which was draped in style of a gown with a black blouse covered with golden chains all over…………plus topped it off with a bold chain belt. The style was innovative but why it is not working coz it is too overdone. I can see chains and only chains in this outfit. This style would have looked amazing if Neha would have concentrated on showing off the belt or the blouse only. Any stylist would know that overdoing one accessory kills the look.

Anil Kapoor

Did someone forget to wear their coat for the event??? Yes Mr. Anil Kapoor just did that……..this outfit is incomplete and unfortunately looks incomplete without it’s blazer. Love the grey colour with the maroon polka dot tie………..but who convinced Anil to go without the blazer.

Hrithik & Suzzane Roshan

Hrithik Roshan wore a black three piece suit with a plain black tie………..I am missing a pop of colour in his attire. Maybe if he had added a different tie with this suit it would have worked much better. Plus Hrithik needs a haircut……. the all ruffled hair ………..I am not digging his tired look that much. Suzzane on the other hand wore a blue shimmer gown which was too much of glitter & not proper fit. These shimmer patterns ought to be given a defined necklines and fitted well especially at the waist to add that definition. The same colour waist belt is not doing much to make this outfit look glamorous. Though her silver clutch and shoes are pretty but the outfit is not desirable.

Fardeen & Natasha Khan

I have always loved seeing actors wearing Indian couture on the red carpet…………andseeing Fardeen in a bandhgala coupled with trousers sealed a smile on my face. He is looking handsome and a thorough Indian gentleman. Thank you Fardeen for wearing a bandhgala at IIFA Awards since all the actors seem to go western and ignoring the fact that ensemble like these can actually look better than a coat/suit. Natasha choose to wear a light blue and cream saree with a halter neck blouse. The saree should have been all in one colour but it compliments well with Fardeen’s clothes. All my browny point to Fardeen for this look.

Jacqueline Fernandez

Jacqueline wore a beautiful saree draped in style of an evening gown………..she looked every bit amazing like a ‘Diva’. The entire attire is beautiful, looks glamorous and she is able to carry it off well. The accessories blend in well with her saree……love the fact that she is wearing only heavy earrings. Let the Saree with alluring detail work do the talking for her style…….two thumbs up for this pretty look.

Dia Mirza

I always look forward to see Dia Mirza on the red carpet………….I love the way this lady dresses up for the occassion. At IIFA 2010 Dia tried going in for avintage look which she can carry off effortlessly even though the dress is tad too simple. She has combined vintage jewellery with this boring dress giving it a life of it’s own. The pulled back hair are neat and she has never looked prettier. I love this look where she has combined the contemporary with old time charm.

Day 1

IIFA awards 2010 started of with a fashion show in Sri Lanka on 3rd June, 2010. The news is that many bigwigs of Bollywood are giving it a miss but from the looks at the green carpet I feel that there are going to be many attending the grand affair. We start off with the green carpet review……..

Jacqueline Fernandez

Jacqueline Fernandez who is representative of her country Sri Lanka walked on the red carpet wearing shiny blue gown………..love the pattern of the gown. Even though people might not like the colour for its flashiness but I feel Jacqueline has been able to carry it of well. The flowy long hair on the strap less gown with long earrings gives quite an oceanic feel to the entire look which as per Sri Lanka is perfect. On the whole I like this look which is glamorous but not over the top.

Bipasha Basu

Bipasha Basu wore a golden fringe all over short dress which had a very 80s look to it……………somehow this dress is not doing much to enhance this stunning actress body. We have seen Bipasha experimenting her look for the red carpet and maybe we have got used to seeing her in ‘bold avatars’ rather than going simple. Nonetheless I am digging the shoes, they look fabulous though are quite a mismatch with this outfit since the colour black of the clutch and shoes are taking the emphasis away from her golden dress which is more in a matt tone. My verdict on this outfit : don’t like it much, she could have glamed it up a bit with accessories and gone beige golden with her shoes and clutch since gold is the new black.

Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupati

Lara Dutta walked in with beau Mahesh Bhupati for the IIFA Awards 2010 fashion show. Lara went in for a retro 80s look with this black and white Herve Ledge dress. The dress gets full marks from me since it is different form the rest of the crowd and of course Lara has the fabulous figure to carry it off well. But what is spoiling the look is her hideous oversized clutch and those ‘shiny disco ball’ black strappy heels. I wish she had gone in for simple open-toe stilettos and a small black clutch with sequin detailing with this chic outfit. As for Mahesh Bhupati, dude you are standing next to one of Bollywood’s glamorous actress, you have to do better than combing a blazer with denim. This look is ‘out of fashion’ ………………..I would have preferred a classic look of white shirt with denim minus the blazer. They both can be a power couple but just have to work on their look together with a great stylist.

Sonakshi Sinha

I don’t have the full length photo of Sonakshi Sinha but from the looks of this pic Sonakshi is looking stunning. The beige and golden outfit with a matching clutch is doing wonders on this young up-coming actress. The dress is short yet age appropriate with exquisite embroidery work all over plus sequin work on the hemline. My say on this attire is simple, fresh and different. Am eager to see her on the red carpet in future………….

Anil Kapoor

Even after many decades how does Anil Kapoor still manage to look so good has always been a mystery to me. He has kept on re-inventing himself, experimenting with his looks both on & off-screen. At IIFA awards he was dressed in a basic black suit with a stripe tie………….kinda reminded me of Robert Downey Jr. with that french beard look. Me like the suit, like the style and love the fact that he is always well-dressed for red carpet. Two thumbs up for this look……..Mr. Kapoor keep rocking for many more decades to come.

Salman Khan & Sonakshi Sinha on the Ramp

Salman Khan and Shatrugan Sinha’s beautiful daughter Sonakshi Sinha walked down the ramp for Manish Malhotra during the IIFA Award 2010 fashion show. Salman Khan was in the avatar of his new upcoming film with Sonakshi wearing an all black attire and a fake mustache though the mustache makes Salman look like a 50s era gentleman……..it suits him well. Sonakshi wore a Lehenga designed by the Manish Malhotra. I do like Sonakshi’s outfit but her Dupatta draping could have been done better…………..the drape just looks as if done in a hurry. Sonakshi…glam up a bit, you are a pretty face………..no doubt.

Jacqueline walks the ramp with Kumar Sangakkara

It is always a delite to see Bollywood and Cricket come together during fashion events…………….this being one of the most anticipated shows held at different location every year. Actress Jacqueline Fernandez walked with Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakarra in Manish Malhotra creation. I love the golden empire waist kurta that Jacqueline is wearing…………love the detailing on it but somehow the velvet lehenga in navy blue colour with purple plus golden gotta border are not blending in that well. Thankfully Jacqueline’s angelice face is able to carry the dress off with an ease. Kumar is looking good in a navy blue kurta with golden detail work combined with white churidhar. On the ramp they both have made a pretty good impression.